News Archive

PHOTOS: USO Bagram East Opens in Afghanistan

Monday, February 06, 2012

In order to meet the needs of our forward deployed troops, the USO opened a second, larger center on the opposite side of Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan on Feb. 5, marking the ninth USO Center supporting our nation's deployed troops in that country.

In 2005, the USO opened the Pat Tillman Memorial USO at Bagram Airfield. The center averages 20,000 visits a month and with less than 2,000 square feet, the center could not continue to accommodate the large amount of permanent party soldiers currently stationed at Bagram.

The new center offers the same connectivity and core services as the Pat Tillman Memorial USO, but the large size and capacity allows for expanded events and activities.

Members of USO Bagram East cut the ribbon with military representatives to open our newest center for business.

Modeled after our larger centers located in Kandahar and Camp Marmal and designed to provide a touch of home and connectivity to a large number of troops daily, USO Bagram East also has the space to accommodate large scale activities and events.

USO Bagram East was funded with support from our corporate partners and the generous support of the American people. The USO is the way America says thank you to our troops.

In the 8,500-square-foot center, troops can find a place to rest their head, get a bite to eat, watch a movie or connect with a loved one via the phone, email and, on some occasions, Skype. Bagram Airfield is currently home to 30,000 permanent party military personnel and it also serves as the central meeting and transient point for flights in and out of Afghanistan.

The center is open 22 hours a day, 365 days a year and offers the same connectivity and core services as the Pat Tillman Memorial USO, but the large size and capacity allows for expanded events and activities.

A 40-seat screening room helps accomodate some of those aforementioned larger scale activities, giving troops a place to enjoy the latest sporting events and recent DVD releases.

A phone center helps troops connect with their families for free with 18 private phone stations.

USO Bagram East offers 19 computer stations with free internet connections for troops while also providing connectivity to the Center's free WiFi for troops with their own electronic devices.

With USO Bagram East ready to offer weekly events such as pancake Sundays, chicken soup for the soul, card tournaments, 550 cord classes, cornhole, movie nights and video gaming tournaments, smiles like these will be appearing often from both USO employees and the servicemen and women they serve.